Epic Prestige Class : Epic Infiltrator
The epic infiltrator is an agent of espionage, an undercover operative, and sometimes a saboteur. He is the plant in the enemy's forces, going incognito to retrieve secret battle plans or steal a valuable item. He excels at pretending to be someone other than he is, convincing everyone around him through disguises and an uncanny ability to tell people what they want to hear. He may use special equipment to aid him in his mission, but his most important tool is his own ability to stay calm in a tight spot. His grace under pressure helps him get the information he needs to succeed without getting caught.
Rogues and bards are best suited for becoming epic infiltrators, but fighters, wizards, and sorcerers also work well undercover. Other classes turn to espionage less often. Barbarians, druids, and paladins do not usually work well as spies except in very unusual circumstances.
Epic infiltrators often work for governments or powerful merchant lords. Sometimes they accept short term, one shot missions, but often they engage in long term infiltration operations. Many epic infiltrators operate freelance, taking contracts through a third party. Occasionally, an epic infiltrator may be found as part of an adventuring group, putting his talents to use as a scout. The Regulators have many epic infiltrators among their ranks, and the Gleaners, the Garrote, and the Godkissed all employ them from time to time.
Requirements
To qualify to become an Epic Infiltrator, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Alignment: Any non-chaotic
- Skills: Bluff 24 ranks, Diplomacy 10 ranks, Disguise 24 ranks, Spot 10 ranks.
- Feats: Alertness.
Epic Feat: Polyglot. - Special: Must have successfully spent one month using the Disguise skill to pose as someone else.
Class Skills
The epic infiltrator's class skills are Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Climb, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Profession, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, and Spot.
Skill Points at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier.
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: An epic infiltrator is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, all armor, and shields.
Improved Cover Identity (Ex/Su): At 1st level, an epic infiltrator establishes three specific cover identities, plus one additional cover identity every four levels thereafter (5th, 9th, 13th, and so on). An epic infiltrator at work must keep his true identity secret, so he pretends to be a merchant, a stable boy, or an innkeeper, or possibly a fighter, a low-level wizard, or some other class. A cover identity allays others' suspicions and leads opponents to underestimate the epic infiltrator until it is too late.
While operating in a cover identity, the epic infiltrator gains a +4 circumstance bonus on Disguise checks and a +2 circumstance bonus on Bluff and Gather Information checks.
When the epic infiltrator has the option of adding a new cover identity, he may instead work on further perfecting a cover identity already possessed. An improved cover identity grants a +6 circumstance bonus on Disguise checks and a +4 circumstance bonus on Bluff and Gather Information checks while operating in that identity. A specific cover identity may be improved again and again, each time adding +2 to the bonuses.
The web of different cover identities inside the epic infiltrator's mind make it impossible to detect his alignment with any form of divination. This ability functions exactly like an undetectable alignment spell, except that it is always active as a supernatural ability. Only divinations are confounded; spells that function only against certain alignments, such as protection from evil and holy smite, affect the epic infiltrator normally.
Should the epic infiltrator with to "retire" a cover identity and develop a new one, he must spend one week rigorously practicing subtle vocal intonations and body language before he earns the bonuses. Cover identities do not in themselves provide the epic infiltrator with additional skills, proficiencies, or class features that others might expect of the pretended professions; however, a successful Bluff check at the right time is enough to deter suspicion.
The epic infiltrator can switch cover identities or don a disguise using the Disguise skill in 1d3 minutes. He can also put on or take off armor in one-half the normal time.
Sneak Attack: If an epic infiltrator can catch an opponent when she is unable to defend herself effectively from his attack, he can strike a vital spot for extra damage. Basically, any time the epic infiltrator's target would be denied her Dexterity bonus to AC (whether she actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), the epic infiltrator's attack deals +1d6 points of damage. This extra damage increases by +1d6 points every three levels (+2d6 at 4th level, +3d6 at 7th level, +4d6 at 10th level, and so on). Should the epic infiltrator score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.
It takes precision and penetration to hit a vital spot, so ranged attacks can only count as sneak attacks if the target is 30 feet away or less.
With a sap or an unarmed strike, the epic infiltrator can make a sneak attack that deals subdual damage instead of normal damage. He cannot use a weapon that deals normal damage to deal subdual damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual -4 penalty, because he must make optimal use of his weapon in order to execute the sneak attack.
An infiltrator can only sneak attack living creatures with discernible anatomies - undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Also, the epic infiltrator must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot. The epic infiltrator cannot sneak attack while striking at a creature with concealment or by striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.
If an epic infiltrator gets a sneak attack bonus from another source (such as rogue levels), the bonuses to damage stack.
Specialist Training (Ex): At 2nd level, the epic infiltrator gains the benefit of focusing his craft on a particular type of work, specializing in one of the following categories and receiving a +3 bonus on all checks with the listed skills. Every three levels thereafter (5th, 8th, 11th, and so on), the epic infiltrator gains specialist training again. He may select the same category more than once.
Concealment: Bluff, Disguise, Forgery.
Subterfuge: Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock, and Sleight of Hand.
Espionage: Listen, Read Lips, Search, and Spot.
Interaction: Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, and Sense Motive.
Read Thoughts (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, the epic infiltrator can "hear" the surface thoughts, once per day, of any single target he selects. Every four levels thereafter (7th, 11th, 15th, and so on), the epic infiltrator can perform this ability one additional time per day. This ability functions as the detect thoughts spell cast by a 15th level caster, except that it targets a single mind.
Far Senses (Su): Starting at 4th level, the epic infiltrator can extend his vision or hearing into an area beyond his normal range, once per day, to a distance of 20 feet plus an additional 20 feet per epic infiltrator level. The epic infiltrator must have personally visited the physical location earlier to use far senses on it. Barriers do not impede far senses, and low-light vision or darkvision function normally if the epic infiltrator has one or both of these abilities. Far senses can also apply to the epic infiltrator's read thoughts ability. Every two levels beyond 4th level (6th, 8th, 10th, and so on), the epic infiltrator can perform this ability one additional time per day. This ability functions as the clairaudience/clairvoyance spell cast by a 15th level caster, except for the limit on range, the need to know the locale beforehand, and the ability to use the read thoughts ability.
Mind Blank (Sp): At 3rd level, the epic infiltrator can become immune to all mind-affecting spells and divinations by rigorously silencing his mind once per day, plus one additional time per day every eight levels thereafter (11th, 19th, 27th, and so on). This ability works as the mind blank spell cast by a 15th level caster.
| Epic Infiltrator | Hit Die: d6 |
|---|---|
| CL | Special |
| 1st | Improved cover identity (3), sneak attack +1d6 |
| 2nd | Specialist training |
| 3rd | Read thoughts 1/day, mind blank 1/day |
| 4th | Far senses 1/day, sneak attack +2d6 |
| 5th | Specialist training, improved cover identity (4) |
| 6th | Far senses 2/day |
| 7th | Read thoughts 2/day, sneak attack +3d6 |
| 8th | Far senses 3/day, specialist training |
| 9th | Improved cover identity (5) |
| 10th | Far senses 4/day, sneak attack +4d6 |
Source: Epic Level Handbook
Older Prestige class adapted to 3.5